


cuddles and crushes

by ElasticElla



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Like Literal Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 19:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6719110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If anyone had asked Mai what type of pet she wanted, and let's be realistic- it would be Ty Lee asking- Mai would have given them a firm <i>no</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	cuddles and crushes

**Author's Note:**

> first posted to lj [here](http://fan-flashworks.livejournal.com/662752.html)

If anyone had asked Mai what type of pet she wanted, and let's be realistic- it would be Ty Lee asking- Mai would have given them a firm  _no_. Animals require time and care and cuddling, none of which Mai is particularly inclined towards (as her ex-boyfriends will happily admit after a few too many watermelon tequila cocktails). But if forced to pick, Mai would have begrudgingly accepted a dragon or a phoenix, noble creatures that could inspire fear.  
  
 _Not_ a cat deer.  
  
.  
  
In Mai's defense- she thought it was an ordinary kitten at first, albeit a bleeding one mewling all over her shoes. So she plucked the little monster up, promising him a bit of milk if he quieted down. And while it registered that the kitten was pretty large and heavy, it wasn't until he was lapping up milk that she saw the starts of two little horns, barely peeking out over his golden fur, that dread settled into her stomach. She had brought a hybrid home, and _everyone_ knew how quickly they could attach themselves to humans.  
  
On the third day, Mai gives up on the beast ever leaving her home, and names him San. She flies a note to Katara, and wonders how busy the waterbending master is in times of peace. And if she happens to add a few more knives up her sleeves, it's only an old precaution around strong benders. Mai's never beaten Katara without help, from Ty Lee or sheer exhaustion, and Mai knows how well the girl can hold a grudge. (Katara's also fairly forthcoming, and Mai's sure she'd know if there were a grudge, but it feels foolish not to have her defenses up anyways.)  
  
Katara is apparently not very busy in peace times, or today at least, as she knocks on her apartment door only a few hours later with a wide grin. San weaves in and out of Mai's legs as she walks to the door, and one of these days she's going to trip over him and then maybe he'll stop that.  
  
“Hello Mai, how are- oh! You must be San,” Katara finishes in a baby voice, crouching to meet San's eyes. Mai rolls her own eyes, backing up so Katara can come in. Katara does, scooping up San, and for a blink Mai gives into the fantasy that Katara takes the cat deer home with her. Then San turns his big brown eyes at Mai and makes a pathetic meowing sound, and with a sigh, she pats his head.  
  
“He's very needy,” she says for Katara's benefit, and San doesn't care, rubbing his head against her hand.  
  
“Mhmm,” Katara says, bending some water out of her pouch and holding it in a pool above San. San's nose crinkles, and he extends a paw to poke it, hissing when he registers the wetness. He pulls his paw back immediately, glaring up at the oval of floating water.  
  
“It was a pretty shallow belly cut,” Katara says. “Not infected, and completely healed now. His coat may take a little while to grow back and even out.”  
  
Katara hands San over, and even though Mai doesn't extend her arms, San crawls onto her dark silks and Mai reluctantly wraps an arm around him for support. At least she's getting her money's worth out of her launderer.  
  
“How much do I owe you?” Mai asks, wanting to get business out of the way before Katara doubtlessly decides to talk about their mutual acquaintances.  
  
“For that?” Katara laughs, “It was nothing, don't worry. Besides you're a friend.”  
  
The words aren't stilted, but they feel that way and the only thing stopping Mai's eyebrow from raising is years of practice keeping her expression blank.  
  
“Stay for dinner then,” Mai says, unsure where the words come from, but the fresh smile on Katara's face says it was the right call.  
  
“I'd love to. Have you heard from Suki or Ty Lee lately?”  
  
Mai turns to hide her smile, gesturing for Katara to follow her to the living room where she sinks down onto one of the couches, shifting San into her lap more and scratching underneath his chin.  
  
Katara sits on the adjacent couch, and Mai answers her. “Ty Lee's correspondence is… a challenging read. Things have been so dull here, I was planning on flying out to the island this weekend. You?”  
  
Katara blinks, “Oh! How nice- Aang and I were going to visit but with- ehm, I keep intending to buy a ticket, but with everything that's happened I think I'll wait a little longer before-”  
  
“Nonsense,” Mai interrupts. “Come with me.”  
  
“I couldn't- thank you, that's so sweet of you really- but I couldn't.”  
  
“Katara.”  
  
San gets up and turns around in Mai's lap before sitting again, which she takes as criticism that she hasn't been petting him enough and remedies that, ignoring Katara's amused look.  
  
Katara bites her lip, “I um, I don't want to run into him so soon after the break up. I just want us to be friends again.”  
  
Mai stays silent, rubbing San's tummy.  
  
“It sounds so conceited, but I _know_ he'll try to get me back and I'll give in and it'll be okay, great even for a week or two. And then we'll be back at our old arguments, and I'll want to break up but I'll convince myself to give him a little more time- it hasn't even been a month yet. So we'll hold onto this dying thing, but all of our friends and family will be so _happy_ that we're trying to work things out and- ughhh.” Katara finishes with an exaggerated groan, “So I do appreciate the offer, really I do. But I _can't_ run into him.”  
  
Mai shrugs, “You're going to see him again eventually. This way I'll be with you and won't let you run off with him.”  
  
And Katara grins so bright, a happy yes on her lips, and all Mai can think is _oh shit_. San purrs, jumping out of her lap, and somehow Mai is _sure_ the little cat deer is to blame.


End file.
